The Great Wall

Our sleeping was still very messed up...naturally...our bodies were still 12 hours behind. We went to bed around 7:30 pm after the Acrobatics Show the night before, and we all awoke around 3:00 am. Thankfully breakfast started at 5:30 am! The breakfast had everything you could imagine!

Lots and lots of Western foods. We ate familiar foods, but ventured out and tasted lots of the local cuisine as well.

 

Everyone loaded onto the tour bus excited to see The Great Wall! It was about an hour and 15 minute drive from our hotel to The Great Wall. As we left the city limits of Beijing the mountains got larger and larger. So exciting!

 

 

Full bellies and the drive made many us of us sleepy...including Ted. That didn't last for long because Teddy has ALWAYS wanted to go and see The Great Wall! He could hardly contain himself...yeah, didn't get a picture of him jumping around!

 

The Great Wall Tour Entrance.

 

Part of our CCAI Family Group! Nick was ready to GO! I love Lilly's pretty little pose.

 

What an amazing site!

 

Okay, yes, this is totally amazing, but I have to say that I sort of imagined a serene and peaceful sound while viewing  such an unbelievable site...but that is NOT what it was like. A major highway ran right under the wall, and EVERYONE blew their horns...constantly! Also, it was about 100 degrees and very, very humid.

 

Nick was so excite to get started! I love this photo. Look at our 4 year old, the world traveler!

 

Yes, they sold ice cream! We figured he needed the sugar to climb these steps! Some of the steps were very, very high, about 18 inches or more. They were also very worn, so everything was uneven. Did I mention it was stifling HOT?! Nick basically had to crawl up some of the steps because they were too high. The step were very dusty because of lack of rain, so Nick was covered in layer of gray dust....but that didn't stop him!

 

Ted stopping for a break. He took a TON of photos!

 

Nick was a climbing maniac! We could not stop him! I had no idea he loved to climb so much. We had to remind him that we have to go back the way we came, and he needed to save his energy. This photo shows how upset he was that he had to turn around. Not to mention that EVERY Chinese person wanted to touch him and take a photograph of him! He was pretty irritated with all the attention. It was like he was a famous movie star!

 

A view from one of the look outs. This is one of my fav photos.

Nick and I turned around to met with the rest of the group while Ted climbed (and I mean, CLIMBED) to the next look out. Nick did just as good climbing down as he did up!